1 Day and Counting...

1 More Day…

I woke up early this morning because I don’t want to miss a second of this day with my family!  Though the kids are still asleep, it warms my heart that I am up and ready to go whenever they are…

So many emotions fill me today.  Anxious about all the things to come, but grounded in God’s word to not be anxious.

I’ve packed my bags, doubled checked them last night…and will triple check them today.  I can’t believe that tomorrow at this time, I will be sitting at the airport getting ready to depart on my life changing experience.

My to do list today…

1.       Take a family picture

2.       Take a picture and record a personalized message for Hunter and Alexa for bedtime

3.       Make sure to give lots of hugs and kisses

4.       Make a final Target run

5.       See my parents

6.       Read God’s word

7.       Laugh

8.       Take all my medications

9.       Give THANKS

10.   Take in all the moments and blessings

So much emotion today- but so grateful for the journey that I am about to embark on- my heart is breaking a little already, not for the Haitian people, but for my family.  I will miss them greatly.  I am so thankful for my WONDERFUL husband, Zach, who will be holding down the fort at home.  The week ahead for him is going to bring challenges too.  I know this journey is not mine alone, and so thankful that all of you are coming along and supporting me and my family through it.  Please say an extra prayer for my Zach and the kids- this is going to be a hard week for them too.  Pray that they find comfort in each other, and lean on the Lord when sadness creeps in.  Remind them that my heart is with them, and God is with us. 

I am humbled by all your love!  THANK YOU.  And…I am feeling better today- THANK YOU, LORD! 

Take in the day, and make it a GREAT ONE! 

The closing verse I chose today:  Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

May the Spirit be with you today and always!  ~ Phuong

2 days and counting...

2 days and counting…

Started the morning off visiting the great Target Clinic!  This wonderful cold just does not want to go away.  Thank goodness for the PA at Target Clinic, she is familiar with Healing Haiti and knows the founder and organization well- she was willing to prescribe antibiotics for this viral cold, to ensure it does not grow into a bacterial infection while I am in Haiti…hopefully by Sunday, which is actually tomorrow- I will be feeling better.  I asked if I should be concerned with going to Haiti with this cold, and she said NO!  THANK GOOODNESS!

Thank you for all those who have been sending me prayer for good health.

I cannot believe this is the last weekend before I go- I am really hoping to that I have finalized all my things and did not forget anything… there will be no Target to make a quick run to. L  What will I do without Target for 8 days?

I hope you all have a great Saturday- talk to you again tomorrow!  Enjoy the glorious day He has made!

My closing verse today:  James 4:10  Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up in honor

To Him be the Glory~ Phuong

5/4 days and counting...

4 days…

So with 4 days until departure date the stress is on.

Not only did I miss a blog post yesterday due to being under the weather, I am stressed about having this cold and going.

So let’s catch-up from yesterday-

Yesterday I got to see Alexa’s final soccer game for the season.  What a proud moment.  She did AMAZING!!!!  You know how you hope that your child does their best- well she did, and it was so cool to hear the other parents cheer her on and get excited for her too.  SO PROUD!!!  The humidity yesterday was so thick- sitting/ standing watching the game was painful!  I didn’t have on my new dry cotton/active wear, so I was miserable…I guess I should have tested out my new clothing yesterday J.

I have been so exhausted with this cold, and found myself in bed by 830pm last night- Hunter actually came in and gave me a hug and kiss goodnight. Is it bad that my 7 year old is tucking me in and giving me a kiss goodnight.  Oh- I sure hope this cold goes away soon.

Life is so good.  I can’t imagine a day without the love and support I have from my amazing family.  My children make me so proud and just fill me up, they are full of love and life- and in a few short days I will encounter children who long for love, who are sick and dying- how can that be?  How will I process that?  How can I remember in those moments…What is God trying to teach me?  I don’t know how to prepare my heart for that.

Today- another day closer to departure- 

As I was leaving a meeting today- a co-worker asked if I was going to be at work tomorrow… Oh my goodness, there is only 1 day left of the work week before I am gone on the mission trip- YIKES!  The questions and comments I keep getting are…are you excited?  It is going to be so fun.  Of course my PC response is, “Yes” to both.  My true response is…I am looking forward to the life changing experience, but not excited to see the devastation.  I don’t think it’s going to be fun, I think it’s going to be a lot of hard work, and very emotionally draining.  I honestly believe I have been numbing myself to the reality of what is to come…because I can’t even imagine what it will be like.  I have seen the videos, but the reality is…this will be like NOTHING I have ever experienced.  I have lived a sheltered, privileged life, full of love, family, and support, and am going to the poorest country in the western hemisphere, where little is left- but there is still HOPE!  I want to be able to sprinkle a little HOPE in someone’s life…even if it’s just ONE person.  If I can do that, this trip will be well worth it.

Today, I will ask all that read the blog for an extra little prayer- would you mind sending me a little prayer that I will overcome this cold and be healthy for the mission trip ahead?  THANK YOU.

Today’s closing verse:  James 5:14-15
Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.

In Him~ Phuong

6 days and counting...

OH NO!

Yesterday brought a few sneezes, and today a full blown cold…SERIOUSLY!

I have six days until departure date, and I am determined to feel better!  Rest and a lot of hot tea will hopefully help.

R-E-S-T

Such simple letters, sounds so great, but how do I go about getting that?  It’s my final week of work before being gone for two weeks, so of course there is absolutely nothing to wrap up there, no stress about loose ends,  or anything- OKAY, all joking aside, I have a great team at work who encouraged me to go home and get some rest this afternoon- THANK YOU to all who stopped by or said something to me- I took your advice, and do feel a little better.

Now, off to a family dinner.  A little more family time tonight, and tomorrow the departure of family begins. It has been really nice to see all my family and spend a little extra time with them. 

Please send prayer for a quick recovery of this cold! 

Today’s verse: "And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness..." Deuteronomy 7:15 

Blessings~ Phuong

7 days and counting...

OMG- 7 days!  7 days until my life will be forever changed!

What do I know today:

1.     That in 1 week I will be standing in Haiti

2.     That my to do list is longer than I thought

3.     That I have the most amazing family

4.     That stressing out doesn’t help the situation

5.     That though my Haiti trip is on my mind- so are a million other things that are just as important if not more

6.     That I have amazing friends and support

7.     That it’s okay to not want to talk about the Haiti trip, it’s okay to ask me about other things in my life…I do have other things going on J

8.     That work is work and it will still be here when I get back

9.     That I am so looking forward to getting my haircut with Alexa once I get home

10.  That not everyone is going to support my trip and that’s okay

In closing- I hope that each and every one of you takes a moment from your day to sit back and soak in all the blessings in your life.  In the midst of chaos, we tend to take for granted all the blessings we have. 

Today’s closing verse:  John 1:16  From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.

To Him be the Glory~ Phuong

8 days and counting...

A jammed packed weekend!

I officially missed my first blog posting yesterday- SORRY to those that are following.

The weekend has been filled with so much family and preparation for Haiti.

Yesterday- bummed, but honestly a little relieved that Alexa’s soccer game was canceled due to the rain- which allowed for more family and prep time.  The morning was spent reviewing and going through snack spreadsheets to determine what still was needed to be purchased.  After spending the morning working on the snack spreadsheet- I finished the analysis and made a Target run J. I am happy to say- the snack shopping is complete, I have over 600+ snacks that the group can choose from J.  Thank you to my sisters who helped me unpack the snacks from the packages so that they could all fit in the suitcase- too bad it well over exceeded the 50 lbs weight limit- so desperate times drive creativity!  So over half of the snacks fit in the large checked suitcase, and the other half will be coming on my carry on J.  What a relief to be done with the task of ensuring snacks are bought!  One stress down…now on to the other hundred.

I also had the opportunity to serve at church yesterday with the kiddos- for those of you that aren’t involved in serving and giving back, I would highly recommend getting involved.  It’s one of my favorite things, and truly makes me feel connected to my church family! 

After serving at church at Spring Lake Park, Zach picked the kiddos and I up and we headed to our Lino Lakes campus for the 6pm service.  What a great service last night- what a great experience to have both my sisters and their families at church with me too.  After service, was a very touching and amazing experience.  The Haiti Commissioning service took place.  It was such an awestruck moment to see how much support filled the room.  The service was not only for the team members leaving for Haiti, but for the support team and family that will be at home while the Haiti team is away.  It was great opportunity to bond with the team, and for my family to get an opportunity to meet the new friends that I will be traveling to Haiti with.  Thank you family and friends for all your love and support!

Today…was just a day filled with running around, and spending time with family.  What a day J. 

As I sit here and write this blog, it hit me…next week at this time I will be checking my list, once, twice, three times…and I am sure I will be filled with butterflies!

Oh- and one more note…THANK YOU to all those who have stopped by, donated, and provided my bandanas and a tutorial on how to wear one and tie one... I think I am set J.

As the weekend comes to a close- I am thankful for all the love around me.  Stressed about the week ahead, but thankful for every moment.  Our closing song in worship yesterday is one of my favorites: Take my Life, by Chris Tomlin:  check it out:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0Byp7aK2DA

My closing verse today:  1 Peter 5: 6-7  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

In Him~ Phuong

10 days and counting...

Friday…oh what a day!

The house is full of family, laughter, some stress, but fun, but oh what a night.  We had a family Christmas dinner in July.  The dining room table was full of holiday trimmings with prime rib, salad, pasta, potatoes, bread and vegetables- we are all stuffed! But more importantly, the room is full of love.

The blessings are abundant, the table full of food- how can this be that we have so much and in a week I will see those that have nothing.  The mere contrast of the two worlds causes so much pull on my heart. 

I really do not know what to write tonight, especially since I am surrounded by so much- it’s hard to imagine having so little.

If you want to see a little bit more about Healing Haiti’s mission- check out his video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rwriy4Bc9g

So tonight’s closing verse:  Matthew 6:1  Give us this day our daily bread

In Him~ Phuong

11 days and counting...

At my last Haiti prep meeting- we watched a powerful message from one of the founders of Healing Haiti, the late Alyn Shannon, who talked about and delivered a message titled “What is God Trying to Teach Me”.  In this message Alyn reminded us that in each situation, God is trying to teach us something, and though the situation may not be hopeful, there is still something God is trying to teach us.

So with that…my message today is about “What is God Trying to Teach Me”.   July has been a month full of emotion, of losses, of challenges, anxiety and anger.  I have experienced more sadness in this month hearing of losses of young lives, of marriages that are struggling, children who are hurting, lives that are being challenged with medical obstacles, and of friends who have been betrayed- it’s been a tough month.  So what is God trying to teach me?  I am taking all these struggles, all the sadness, anxiety and anger and asking today- What is God trying to teach me?

As I reflect back on the month- here are the things that God has been teaching and reminding me of:

1.     Be thankful and trust in the Lord

2.     Earth is not the final destination, there is eternal life

3.     That our journey has already been planned

4.     That faith sometimes hurts

5.     That true friends always outshine the shallow ones

6.     That strength comes from the deep pit in your stomach

7.     That even in the sadness, hope can be found

8.     That the Bible can deliver so many answers

9.     That true friendships are the BEST kind

10.  That the beauty of the cross always provides comfort and strength

So even in this emotionally tough month, I believe God has taught and reminded me that faith in the Lord will comfort and bring me more joy than I could imagine.  I will have to take this lesson and remind myself as I enter a land filled with devastation, poverty, illness and distress that there too, God will be teaching me many more lessons.  I will continue to open my heart and prepare my soul for the journey and lessons that I am about to embark on- I can’t wait- 11 more days!

Today’s closing verse:  Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

To Him be the Glory~ Phuong

12 days and counting....

12 days to go- and an email blast went out to many of you to introduce the blog!  So…the pressure is on to write something intriguing and fun.

Today’s blog topic…fashion! Not that I am some fashionista…but I will share with you the fun inside scoop on my upcoming fashion trends.  The weather in Haiti, which if you don’t know is HOT, 100+ degrees daily!  So, the weather here in MN today is a taste of what is to come.  Many of you know, I am not a sporty kind of girl.  I like my classic preppy look- but with that look in Haiti I would suffer from unbreatheable cotton…so instead- you will find me in sleeveless sport tanks (the dry, breathable kind)…so not my thing, but I hear I’ll be thankful for them!  Shorts- I like them and love khakis, however the khakis I like aren’t the khakis that are breathable either…so sporty Bermuda shorts are in order!  Sandals- no flip flops instead- sporty, heel strapped, covered toe sandals are in order.  Sunglasses for the sun…NOPE, no sunglasses are allowed L, the gang members in Haiti where sunglasses.  A brimmed hat, nope, not allowed either- but a bandana is…can you see me in a bandana? Yes, I will sport a bandana…I just have to figure out where to buy one, and how to wear one.  Anyone want to give me a tutorial?  Out of all seriousness, I will be so out of my comfort zone, but really…fashion and clothing are the least of my concerns!  I am so thankful that I have the means and ability to purchase the things I “need” for the trip.  Can you imagine your everyday life not having the possibility of getting these things?  I will soon encounter this- my eyes will be opened, my heart broken.  I do not take this lightly, all the wonderful fashion and clothing items being bought and used, will be gratefully gifted to the Haitian people I will be meeting and serving.  The Lord is great!

In closing today, here is the verse I selected:  2 Corinthians 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace overflow to you so that because you have enough of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow in every good work.  The Blessing of Giving”

Father, God, thank you for the gift and upcoming experience to truly encounter the blessing of giving to the least of these.

Blessings~ Phuong

13 days and counting...

What’s today’s hot topic, hot post?

Let’s be honest- I am not much of a writer, but I had such great hopes to start this blog to be able to keep all who are interested up to date on my journey to Haiti.  Great intentions…let’s hope the execution is just as good J

The countdown is 13 days until departure- whoot, whoot J.  A small piece of the second whoot is a little stress in my voice.  As some of you may know…this week is full of family visits.  I am super excited about all the family that is coming in to town, but a little stressed about it too!  My grandma and great aunt arrived yesterday, my sister and her two kiddos arrive tomorrow, my aunt and her two kids arrive Thursday, and my uncle arrives Saturday…can we say FUN!!!  I am super excited to see everyone, super stressed that the one overlapping day that everyone is in town is Saturday the 23^rd…however the 23^rd is my most chaotic day and sad that I don’t think I’ll be able to spend much time with my family L…Alexa has a soccer game in the morning, I volunteer at church in the afternoon, will run over to the Lino Lakes campus for the 6pm service and then participate in the Haiti Commissioning service at 720pm.  My mind is already stressed about the day- I hope I can find some time to spend with my family.

So although that stress is occurring on Saturday…it begins to creep into action today…and with stress comes cleaning for me…so at least my house will be clean J

Managing the food and snack supply continues to be something that causes me a little anxiety- I received an email from my leader today letting me know that I should plan on roughly 45 snacks a day for the group…SERIOUSLY!!!  As many of you know…I really do enjoy planning meals, gatherings, etc…but 45 snacks a day, or 360 for the 8 days…not so much.  I also need to find a way to make sure I can pack all these wonderful snacks.  At first I thought this would be easy- my suitcase should be plenty of room…I am starting to scratch my head and think…golly I hope I have enough room and come up with enough different options- I know I wouldn’t want to snack on the same food everyday…would you?  So, I need to get creative…stay tuned…

I will try to find a verse that fits into each day’s post, today’s:  Psalm 94:19 In the multitude of my anxieties within me,Your comforts delight my soul.

THANK YOU for continuing to check in. 

2 weeks and counting...

Hello to All-

I thought I would start a blog so that I can keep you all updated on my upcoming Haiti trip!

I can hardly believe it, but my trip is only 2 weeks away!  I’ll try to blog everyday up until my trip and hopefully be able to update my blog while there.

Here’s what I can share with you today: 

·         A HUGE THANK YOU to all who have provided me financial and spiritual support- I am so blessed to have all your support and love.  I am so honored to be able to serve through your generosity!

·         We completed our last preparation meeting last Thursday, July 14th, and received our tentative daily schedule.  My emotions run high- I knew we were going to be serving the water truck for a minimum of two days, but didn’t realize the number of days committed to an orphanage.  My heart is breaking and will be broken over and over again while visiting the children.  To be honest, I was preparing- if you can call it that to have my heart broken for 1 day, but now 3 will be a journey I can’t explain or prepare for.

·         The group packing was done yesterday (7/17)- that was an AWESOME experience to see all the items that have been bought and donated to such a wonderful cause.  It was a little overwhelming to see how many bare essentials there were and what I consider bare essentials are the greatest gifts for some.  My heart and soul are humbled.

·         I have also volunteered to be the coordinator of snacks and supplies that still need to be purchased, etc…I am a little concerned that I may mess this up- and if I do…we won’t have enough to eat.  So pray hard that I keep this spreadsheet as accurate as possible J

·         My family has been my rock- and the thought of being away for 8 days is a little tough- but they remind me everyday it’s for a greater cause

·         Am I scared?….YES!!!  of what you may ask…today it’s about the heat, but I am getting a good taste of it here in MN today! 

Many of you are asking…Am I excited for my trip?  My answer, YES, however I am not sure if I’d call it excited, because I am not excited to see the devastation I am about to experience, but I am excited to see and feel God work in me. 

I cannot believe that when I get to posting this first entry- in two weeks, I will be forever changed. 

In Him~ Phuong